Washing machine



Original Filed July 22, 193 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

- BY f 6 57 ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1936. w. J. COOPER 2,057,292

WASHING MACHINE.

Original Fild July 22, 1931' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

jNVEN TOR.

. M f w- A TTORNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1 3.6. 7 w. J. COOPER 2,057,292

' WASHING MACHINE Original Filed July 22, 1931 4 s-sheet 3 IN V OR.

Oct. 13, 1936. w. J. COOPER 2,057,292

WASHING MACHINE I Original Filed July 22, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheefil i I F p.41.

1 I L 25 .2 m a 5; -2 /29 IN VEN TOR.

TORNEYSQ Patented Oct. 13, 1936 ITED SATS PATENT Application July 22, 1931, Serial No. 552,433 Renewed March 23, 1936 3 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines of the type capable of use in connection with the conventional form of stationary washing trays.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a generally improved washing machine of the character referred to which is of comparatively simple construction and which may be easily installed in connection with either compartment of stationary washing trays and which a wringer or ironer may be removably connected.

In carrying the invention into practice I provide a washing machine having a casing which may be detachably connected to either compartment of a washing tray and which is fitted with an agitator driven by the driving mechanism of the machine. The casing is also fitted with a power take-off shaft to which a, wringer or ironer may be detachably connected for operation. The operating parts of the mechanism are so constructed that they may be amply lubricated without any danger of the lubricating medium escaping from the machine into the washing compartment.

One form which the invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompany-' ing drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the washing machine mounted on stationary washing trays.

Fig. 2v is a plan view of the machine with the cover plates removed in order to show the operating mechanism of the machine.

the machine taken on line IIIIII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the machine disclosing the drive to the power take-off shaftand the manner in which the latter operates the wringer or ironer.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the parts of the clutch mechanism for establishing a drive to the agitator shaft.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, Ill indicates a casing or frame which is of a length substantially agreeing with the length of a compartment of a stationary washing tray of standard design so that the ends of the casing may rest on the vertical transverse partitions of the tray. At its underside this casing is fitted with suitable clamping devices l2 and I4 by means of which the casing may be firmly conn'ected with the tray and secured in position. These clamping devices l2 and I4 may be easily released so that themachine may be which is fitted .with a power take-off shaft to- Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section through.

disposed for use in connection with either tray.

The casing II] is formed with a shallow compartment I5, the bottom and sides of which are integrally formed so as to' prevent any possibility of oil leakage. Arranged'within this compartment is the operating mechanism of the machine. At one end of the compartment IS the casing is formed so as to constitute a base for an electric motor l6 of any preferred design and power. This motor is arranged with its shaft parallel to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

In alignment with the motor shaft is a worm shaft ll which is connected to the motor I6 through the medium of a. suitable flexible coupling I8. This coupling is enclosed within a cage l9 formed as a part of the casing 10 at one end wall of the compartment 15.

It will be noticed that at the end of the shaft opposite the cage I9 the frame is fitted with a gear housing which nests within the compartment l5 and secured to the top of the easing. The sides and bottom of this gear housing are integrally formed so as to be oil-tight while the top of the housing is enclosed by a suitable cover plate 2| which entirely encloses them- I terior of the gear housing 20 so that the same may contain a lubricant. The wormshaft l'i extends through bearings 22 and 23 formed in this gear housing 20. A

In between the bearings 22 and 23 and within the gear housing and secured on the shaft I1 is a worm 24 which is in mesh with a' worm gear 25 also disposed within the gear housing 20. This worm gear is secured on a vertically disposed power take-oil? shaft 26 journalled adjacent its lower end in the bottom of the gear housing 20 and at its upper end in abearing 21 formed as a part of the cover plate 2i.

The upper end of this bearing 21 is counterbored so as to receive a trunnion of a wringer or ironing mechanism to pivotally support the same; This trunnion of the ironing or wringer mechanism may be equipped with a suitable type of slip joint for drivingly engaging the upper end of the power take-off shaft 26 so that the latter may be utilized to drive the wringer -.or ironing mechanism.

' Wringing and ironing mechanisms of this type are old and well known and therefore it is not believed necessary to completely illustrate or describe them. It will suilice to state that the trunnion of each is identical and capable of being detachably mounted on the bearing 21 in driving engagement with the power take-off shaft 26 and capable of pivotal movement about the axis of the shaft 2 6 so that it may be swung to either'an operating position or to an unobstructing position at the rear of the tray. These wringer and ironing mechanisms are equipped with a separate clutch so that they may be thrown into or out of operation as desired.

The lower end of the power take-off shaft 26 is fitted with a fixed crank arm 28 the outerend of which is connected with one end of a horizontally disposed connecting rod 29. other end of the connecting rod is connected to an eccentric point on an oscillatory segment 30.

- This segment is pivotally supported just above the bottom of the compartment 15 on a vertical pintle 3! which extends upwardly through a boss 32 formed integral with the bottom of the casing. The pintle is suitably secured in position by a nut 33 at the underside of the frame as illustrated.

The toothed face of the segment is in mesh with a pinion 34 formed concentrically about the lower end of an elongated and upwardly projecting sleeve 35. This sleeve 35 is rotatably mounted on an elongated bushing .36. This bushing has a lower end 31 which is reduced in diameter and which projects through a bore 38 in a boss 39 formed as a part of the bottom of the frame In. Just above the boss 39 the bushing 36 is formed with an enlarged portion 40 which abuts against the upper surface of the boss 39. A clamp nut 4| is threaded on the reduced lower end 31 of the bushing 36 and acts to tightly clamp the bushing in position by engaging the lower end of the boss 39. This forms an oil-tight seal between the bushing and the upper face of the boss 39 to prevent leakage between the abutting surfaces of the bushing and boss and consequently prevents leakage of oil into the washing compartment.

The lower end of the bushing 36 is also fitted witha packing nut- 42 for supporting packing 43 about a vertical agitator shaft 44 which is rotatably mounted in the bushing. The upper end of the bushing 36 extends to a point just short of the top of the compartment l5 but the end of the sleeve 35 extends a short distance above the top of the bushing 35. At the upper end of the bushing 36 the agitator shaft 44 is enlarged to form a clutch member 45. That is, this enlarged upper end of the agitator shaft is formed with transversely extending sockets.

Reciprocably mounted in the upper end of the sleeve 35 in axial alignment with the clutch member 45 of the agitator shaft 44 is a complementary clutch member 45 having transversely disposed and axially extending clutch dogs 41 to engage the transverse sockets in the clutch member 45 of the agitator shaft 44. The outer periphery of the clutch member 46 is formed with radially extending keys 43 which reciprocably engage keyways formed in the upper end of the sleeve 35. so that the clutch ngember 45 will rotate in unison with the sleeve 3 The compartment I5 is formed with a cover plate suitably secured in position to enclose the The- Latch means 53 are provided for latching the clutch member 46 either in engagement with the clutch member 45 -or out of engagement therewith. That is, when the knob 52 is upraised the clutch member will be moved out of engagement with the clutch member 45 and no drive will be transmitted to the agitator shaft 44, and when the knob 52 is depressed, the clutch member 46 will be placed into engagement with the clutch member 45 and a drive will be established between the sleeve 35 and the agitator shaft 44. The agitator shaft is, of course, equipped at its lower end with any preferred type of agitator so that upon oscillation of the agitator shaft 44 a washing action will be set up in the tray to wash the clothes therein.

It will be noticed that due to the construction of the bushing and the manner in which the drive is transmitted to the agitator shaft 44 that no oil will be permitted to escape from the interior of the compartment l5 downwardly into the washing compartment. Likewise, the agitator shaft 44 is protected and enclosed to such an extent that oil will not pass downwardly therealong into the washing compartment. This will enable the operating parts within the tray to be amply lubricated and also will insure that any oil escaping from the gear housing will not be permitted to escape into the washing compartment.

It should be stated that the worm and worm gear in the gear housing are to operate in lubricant but that any leakage from this housing will be trapped in the compartment i5 and cannot escape into the washing compartment.

In operation of the device, it is constructed and assembled substantially as illustrated and described and the shaft 44 is equipped with any preferred type of agitator. The machine is then mounted on the desired compartment of the -washing tray and the clamping devices i2 are utilized to secure the machine in position on the tray, it being preferred that the washing machine be so mounted on the tray that the power take- ,oif shaft be positioned contiguous to the center partition of the tray.

When the motor is placed in operation a drive will be transmitted to the wonn shaft I! which will in turn operate the power take-off shaft 23 through the medium of the worm gear .25. Operation of this-shaft will reciprocate the connecting rod 29' and oscillate the segment 39 which in turn will oscillate the agitator shaft 44 through the medium of the pinion 34, the sleeve 35, and the clutch members 45 and 46 if the latter are in engagement.

If it is desired to operate the wringer it may be operated independently of the agitator by merely disengaging the clutch members 45 and 46.

After the clothes have been washed and dried, if it is desired to iron them the wringer may be disconnected from the power take-off shaft 26 and an ironer substituted therefor. The ironer, of course, will be driven from the same niotor as the washing machine through the power take-off shaft 26. By providing the pivotal mounting for the wringer as described, the wringer may be swung to an operative position or to an unobstructing position at the rear of the machine or it may be entirely removed if so desired by simply disconnecting the wringer from the shaft 26 and the bearing 21.

bushing, means forming a .Due to-the-constructionof the owing and the mounting of theagitator' shaft no oil will be permitted' to escape from the operating parts of the machine to the washing compartment.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple, compact and inexpensive washing machine which is capable of operation in connection withconventional type of washing tray and which is so designed that a wringer or ironer may be expeditiously connected therewith for operation and while I have shown the preferred form of my invention it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its-construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described a casing, a hollow bushing extending through the bottom ,wall thereof, an annular flange on said fluid tight joint between said flange and the bottom of thecasing, an agitator shaft journalled in said bushing, a

sleeve mounted for oscillation on the bushing and supported by said annular flange, a pinion on said sleeve, drive means engaging said pinion 3 to impart oscillatory'movement to said sleeve and clutch'means adapted to connect saidsleeve and said shaft.

2. In a device ofthe character described, a casing, a hollow bushing extending through the bottom wall thereof, packing means forming a fluid tight joint between the casing and bushing, an agitator shaft having a notch formed in the upper end thereof,

an oscillatory sleeve surrounding said shaft and bushing and also having notches formed therein, clutch means engageable with said first named notch and also connect the sleeve and shaft and drive means for oscillating the sleeve.,

3. In a device of the characten casing, a hollow bushing extending bottom wall thereof, an annular flange on said bushing, means forming a fluid-tight joint between said fiange and the bottom of the casing, an agitator shaft journaled in said bushing, a sleeve mounted for oscillation on the bushing and supported on said annular flange, means connecting the sleeve to the agitator shaft, and means to oscillate said sleeve.

WILLIAM J. COOPER.

Journaled in the bushing and described, a' through the i engageable with said notchw to 

